Outwitting Squirrels

101 Cunning Stratagems to Reduce Dramatically the Egregious Misappropriation of Seed From Your Birdfeeder by Squirrels

by Bill Adler, Jr.

Chicago Review Press, 2nd edition, 1996

"I love this book. Go buy this book. Bill Adler, Jr. is my hero."
--Rosie O'Donnell

Do you have a great squirrel story? Have you been victorious against squirrels? Or almost victorious? I would like to hear your story for the next edition of Outwitting Squirrels. Please email* me. --Bill Adler, Jr.

Reviews of Outwitting Squirrels
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About Outwitting Deer

Finally, a book that provides all the answers to your squirrel problems! Revised and even craftier than the first edition, which has sold over 110,000 copies. What's so important about outwitting squirrels? If you feed birds, or have a garden, you already know the answer to that question. Squirrels can't read those signs that say "Birds Only," and "Keep Off the Grass" -- and so they eat and dig and eat and dig. Squirrels are very efficient about breaking into feeders. They have nothing to do all day long except to try to attack feeders and gardens. They don't go to work, they don't watch television, they don't have to rush home and cook. Squirrels simply have one mission in life, and that's to break into feeders.

To outwit squirrels you have to be willing to spend time and effort. For nearly every strategy you come up with, over time, squirrels are going to undo that strategy. So you have to be willing to adapt, and most important, try to look at your back yard from the squirrel's perspective. You have to be able to combine anti-squirrel techniquest. That means, don't just coat the pole that your feeder is on with petroleum jelly, which will wash off in a heavy rain or freeze in the winter -- mix the petroleum jelly with red pepper to make it difficult and annoying for the squirrels. Don't just string a feeder on a wire between two distant trees -- string the wire through record albums to make it harder for squirrels to walk across that wire.

Bill Adler, Jr. on The Rosie O'Donnell Show showing
Rosie how to outwit squirrels.

There's a philosophical element to our effort to outwit squirrels, as well. We're supposed to be smarter than squirrels. Right? Squirrels have brains the size of large nuts, and our brains are simply larger. So if we can't outwit squirrels how ever can we expect to get a man or woman to Mars.

Good luck with your efforts to outwit squirrels. Let me know what you find out.

--Bill Adler, Jr.

Here are what some reviewers have said about Outwitting Squirrels:

Outwitting Squirrels...ingenious tricks to keep squirrels from eating all the seed when the feeders fail. -The Washington Post
Bill Adler, Jr., a writer in Washington, has just published a treatise titled, Outwitting Squirrels...[His stratagems are] particularly appealing. -The New York Times
A masterpiece of squirrel stratagems. -The Wall Street Journal
What the birdfeeders of America long have needed is a guru...I'm pleased to announce there's a new voice on the front lines of birdfeeding. His name is Bill Adler, Jr...Adler assembled his findings into a nifty volume entitled Outwitting Squirrels. -Minneapolis Star Tribune
Outwitting Squirrels, Bill Adler, Jr., is a book that will keep you laughing about your furry visitors. Loads of practical solutions, too. -Cornell Lab of Ornithology
In light of his entertaining, instructional, and philosophical contribution to the understanding of and possible solutions to such a universal problem, we should make Bill Adler, Jr. an honorary New Hampshirite. -Monadnock Ledger
A fascinating book. -Tuscaloosa News
Now, for the first time, the sum of human knowledge about squirrels and the strategies to defeat them are available in one place. -Booklist
With this second edition, squirrels have never been more scared. -Arizona Republic

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Bill Adler, Jr. talking with Rosie' O'Donnell and
Rene Russo about Outwitting Squirrels.

Outwitting Squirrels by Bill Adler, Jr.. Published by Chicago Review Press. ISBN: 1556523025
More about squirrels

Coming Soon: Outwitting Deer

I am currently writing Outwitting Deer*, and would love to any deer stories you have. Win or lose your competition with deer, your tales will be appreciated. You can email or fax your stories to 202-986-9485.

--Bill Adler, Jr.

*Legal stuff: If you send me a squirrel, deer or other animal story, you are consenting to have your submission published in the next edition of Outwitting Squirrels, in Outwitting Deer, in Outwitting Critters, and/or at www.adlerbooks.com. If we use your submission, you will be given credit by name (so remember to include your name.) You will not be paid or compensated for your submission. We may edit your submission for clarity and space considerations. And we thank you!

The Outwitting Series™ is a trademark of Bill Adler, Jr. The Outwitting books include: Outwitting Squirrels, Outwitting Critters, Outwitting Deer, Outwitting the Neighbors, Outwitting Toddlers and others.

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